


What's Mine Is Yours

by goddess_julie



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: M/M, Magic Revealed, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-17
Updated: 2013-11-17
Packaged: 2018-01-01 21:21:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1048703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goddess_julie/pseuds/goddess_julie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin is always taking care of Arthur, its' time that Arthur repays the favour.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What's Mine Is Yours

**Author's Note:**

> This was written as my Day 16 fic for Mini Nanowrimo on LJ. I'm doing 30 fics in 30 days in different fandoms.
> 
> The prompt I'd used had to do with a love of the smell and feel of real books in your hands. This was what I did with it.

The room was grand, bigger than anything Merlin could have ever dreamed. His eyes were wide, unblinking as he was afraid to miss anything. With small, tentative steps Merlin approached the shelves ahead of him, reading the gold dusted titles on the leather bound books that rest there. His breathing was shallow, breath ghosting over his lips which were parted in awe.

“You can touch them,” Arthur whispered softly so as not to startle his manservant. 

Merlin spun around, his eyes widening as his hands covered his mouth. “Oh, Arthur, I couldn’t.” He wanted so much to touch them, to open their leather covers and embrace the words deep in their pages, but these books belonged to the Royal Library. These were Arthur’s private books, ones that had inherited from his mother.

Arthur’s lips curled into a gentle smile. “Merlin, please.” He pulled a book from the shelf. It was an older book, a copy that one of his nursemaids had read to him every single night before bed when he was a child, telling him how his mother had loved that particular story and professed to want to read to him once he’d been born. She hadn’t lived long enough to read it herself so the nurse maid promised she would on Ygraine’s dying last wish. Arthur opened the book, took a deep breath and Merlin watched as his eyes fluttered shut.

“I love the scent of books, the mustiness of the pages. The feel of it in my hand and the knowledge that someone took the time to write it, to put down their thoughts, their stories for others to read.”

Merlin took the offered book from his crowned Prince’s hand. He followed Arthur’s lead and smelled the pages of the book before holding it to his chest. “Read it to me?”

The fond smile on Arthur’s face warmed Merlin’s heart. “You can read silly, that’s why we’re in here. I finally manage to have you speak about your life before Camelot, I finally learn that you can read and you want me to read to you? You must be the laziest servant I have ever had.”

Grinning, Merlin pulled on Arthur’s arm. He tugged them so that they were in front of the fireplace and pulled the blonde down to curl up with him on the rug before the hearth. “Please, read it to me. Read it FOR me.”

Arthur let out a sigh of protest but Merlin could see the joy in his eyes, the affection on his face. Merlin curled up with Arthur, his head on the other man’s chest listening to the rumble of his voice. When he was done Arthur pressed a gentle kiss to the crown of Merlin’s head.

“I have to meet with Father,” Arthur said regrettably. “There are plans that need to be confirmed for our talks with Mercia and if I do not show up he will come looking for me.”

Merlin opened his mouth to speak but was silenced by Arthur raising his hand.

“Stay here. Look through the books and read what interests you. My library is yours.” Arthur cupped Merlin’s face with gentle reverence. “Everything of mine is yours.”

Their lips met in a faint brush of a kiss, just enough time for Merlin to smile against Arthur’s mouth and whisper ‘go’ to him. “Your father will be waiting for you.”

“And you Merlin? Will you be waiting for me?”

Merlin nodded. “Yes, I will be right here, waiting. Always.”

True to his word, Arthur returned to his private library on the furthest south wing of the castle once his meeting with his father was finished. He waved off requests to dine with Uther and Morgana, indicating that he had matters to discuss with his man servant about his armor and chainmail being polished properly and would take dinner in his quarters privately. A squire was sent with strict orders to obtain dinner enough for two and to not speak of the extra food to anyone. He would expect him in the library in three quarters of an hour glass’s time.

Arthur was met with a sight he had long since expected to find upon entering any room he’d instructed Merlin to wait for him in. The brunette was curled up on the luxurious blanket, his head resting comfortably on a pillow and books piled neatly to the side, one open where he had fallen asleep reading. Allowing for Merlin to catch up on some muchly needed sleep, Arthur picked up the few items strewn around the room. He sat comfortably on a chair in the corner as he began to read the book Merlin had fallen asleep reading. The sound of a firm knock on the door failed to awaken Merlin. Arthur quietly instructed the squire to leave the tray of food on the table and afforded him a stern look at the way his gaze lingered on Merlin’s sleeping form.

“Is there something you wish to say?” Arthur asked gruffly. He did not show his glee at the way the young boy jumped. He averted his eyes, bowed respectfully and ran from the room. It was then that Arthur woke Merlin up. He ran his fingers through the brunette’s hair, kissing his forehead affectionately.

“Arthur?”

“Yes love, I am here. You’ve had a nap, wake so we can have dinner.”

Slowly, Merlin regained consciousness, stretching out the kinks of a well rested sleep. Once they had digested their meal, bickering lightly over books and chores and tasks they once more curled up together, this time with a book of Merlin’s choosing. 

“My mother told me this story once. I thought it was one she had made up, but she confessed it was a book that she had received from Gaius years earlier, when my father studied under him. He gifted her with the book when they were banished from Camleot during the purge. He barely made it out before Uther’s reign ended the other people of his kind."

Arthur watched the range of emotions cross Merlin’s face and he kissed the other man, wanting to take away his hurts. “Read it to me.”

“Now who’s lazy,” Merlin said with a grin. “Fine, budge up, let me get comfortable.” They sat together, with Merlin in between Arthur’s legs, their bodies chest to back. 

It was Arthur’s turn to relax as Merlin’s voice lulled him into a blissful sleep, the two of them alone and together in their own piece of the world.

FINIS


End file.
